Improvement in mail-bags



T. 1, H A R DAW AY.

Mail-Bags. 919.139,061. Pareniedmay 20.1873.

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TTNITED STATES ATNT FFcE.

THOMAS J. HARDAWAY, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAIL-BAGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,061, dated May 20, 1873; application iiled March 22, 1873.

To all twhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. HARDA- WAY, of Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented a new and ImprovedV Mail-Bag, of which the following is a specification:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the mouth of my mail-bag; Fig. 2, a front elevation of the saine, as closed and locked; and Fig. 3, a detail cross-section of the folded mouth on line c c, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate correa onding parts.

My invention is an improvement in the class of mail-bags provided at the mouth with hinged bars or plates adapted to be locked together. I have found that four bars, hinged together so as to form a rectangular and nearly square opening, possess advantages over any other number or arrangement in respect to convenience and rapidity of opening and closing the bag and access to its contents, Stc. I have also found that, by attaching a locking-piece to one of the bars near the joint, and otherwise arranging the saine, as hereinafter described, I secure the following advantages:

The said piece may be conveniently used as a handle for opening and closing the bag. When adjusted for lookin g it covers the contiguous and middle joint of the hinged bars, and thus imparts a strength and rigidity highly necessary to security of the contents of the bag. The piece is also adapted by its position to receive a label relating to contents, destination, &c., of the bag.

In the drawing, A and A represent the metal mouth-pieces, connected by hinges B riveted suitably to the ends of pieces A. The rear pieces A' are provided with flanges a which, on closing, overlap the front pieces A. '.lhe han ges a are cut under an angle of fortyfive degrees above the hinge-joint of the rear pieces, allowing thereby the full and unobstructed opening of the mouth into a rectangular shape. The rear pieces A are further provided with staples, b and d, staples b being applied horizontally, staples d vertically, to correspond with similarly placed slots b and d of the front pieces. Near slot d of front piece A is also a vertical staple, e, to which the label-case Gis attached. The labelcase C is constructed of suitable material, and connected by a strong double wire, f, to staple c. The body of the label-case is tted with frame and spring to hold and change the labels readily, of rectangular shape, with a slotted extension, g, gliding freely over staple b on closing the mouth. Label-case O serves also as handle to open and close the mouth of the bag. The top of the mail-bag is riveted or otherwise connected to the lower side of pieces A, the rear pieces being moreover supplied with staples on the back for hanging the bag on hooks and assort-ing the mails, as the mouth will stand open in the shape desired. On closing the bag, the front pieces are folded over the rear pieces, so that the staples project outside of the slots, which may be done rapidly by taking the label-case into one hand and pressing the hinged pieces together, inserting then double Wire j' under staple d, and slotted extension g over staple b, passing the bow of the lock through staple b, and locking the same. The opening of the bag is accomplished in the same manner, with the operation of the parts reversed. j

Having thus described my invention, I do not claim flanged bars nor a sliding lockingpiece; but

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- As the improvement in mail-bags, hereinbefore described, the locking label-piece O g, attached to one of the four-hinged bars near the joint B by means of long wire-loop f and staple e, and the slots b d and staples b and cl, all arranged as specified, whereby said piece is adapted t'o cover the joint and lock the bars together, as shown and described.

THOMAS J. HARDAWAY.

Witnesses:

A. E. SEIFERT, L. A. HAUsE. 

